EU-Qatar bribery scandal: “Public debate on more transparency needed”

MEP Geert Bourgeois expresses his shock at the bribery scandal that recently rocked the European parliament. He calls for stricter rules on transparency and conflicts of interest for MEPs. Assita Kanko is also astounded at the revelations and requested an emergency debate in parliament. “This should not be discussed behind closed doors.” However, the MEPs caution against an excessive, heavy-handed response. “We should avoid jeopardising the parliament’s independence at all costs," says delegation leader Bourgeois.

Geert Bourgeois endorses the call for stricter transparency rules. “All contacts, including with representatives of third countries, should always be declared.” He is, however, opposed to the establishment of an interinstitutional ethical body: "We cannot justify a parliament subjecting its members to opinion of the European Commission, as an executive power. Jeopardising the principle of the separation of powers and parliamentary independence is out of the question. The basic premise of our parliamentary democracy is that parliament controls the executive power, not the other way around," says Geert Bourgeois.

What applies to municipal councillors should also apply to MEPs

Geert argues in favour of an amendment to the code of conduct. "Currently MEPs only have to declare that they have a conflict of interest. I don’t think that this goes far enough: in such a case, the MEP should refrain from taking part in the decision-making process and voting on a dossier in which he or she has a personal interest. This also applies, for example, to an alderman or a municipal councillor, so why shouldn’t it apply to MEPs?"

Beware of skewed perceptions

Finally, Geert Bourgeois believes that we must avoid creating the perception that corruption is widespread in (European) politics. “In so doing, we are playing into the hands of the autocratic regimes that attack our norms and values. Complete transparency does not rule out all secret, unseemly contacts and transactions. Fortunately, we have an independent justice system to fight corruption.”

Not behind closed doors

At the request of our colleague Assita Kanko, the European Parliament is organising an emergency session on this topic today (Tuesday). “The EU has a habit of discussing many matters behind closed doors, but I think that this is a discussion that should be held in public.” Kanko, who was scheduled to visit Qatar as a member of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the EU Parliament, also indicated that the trip had been cancelled. “I don’t think it’s appropriate to go there as long as we lack clarity about this bribery scandal.”